We all know 'friends' who have exaggerated cold and flu symptoms to get a day off work. But it appears when it comes to pulling off a convincing sickie, women are far more convincing than men.

A survey of 10,000 adults found that one in 10 have been discovered pulling a sickie - either by bumping into a fellow worker out and about or by posting tell-tale clues on social media websites.

However, men are twice as likely to be caught out than women.

Can't face work? A third of women and nearly half of men pull sickies due to hangovers

Meanwhile four in 10 people sensibly avoid websites such as Facebook and Twitter completely on their bonus day off, though five per cent sail close to the wind by using them to gain sympathy for their fictional sickness.

While two thirds bite the bullet and
call their employers themselves with the bad news five per cent have
enlisted the help of a relative.

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The reasons for pulling a sickie are many and varied but hangovers are the most common culprit, accounting for 39 per cent of cases. Men are more likely to take a day off to nurse a sore head - making up 44 per cent of sickies compared to 34 per cent in women.

A quarter decide to shun the office so that they can spend time at home with their partner, while 15 per cent use them to go to job interviews. However, a third don't go in as they 'just fancy a day off.'

But fake sick days are becoming less common, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics.

Since the recession began in 2008, the average number of sick days has fallen from 5.3 days to the current all-time low of just 4.5 days per year.

Analysts suggested the drop is due to widespread
paranoia among workers who are ‘too scared’ about losing their jobs to
take time off work when they are sick.

The latest survey from cold remedy Kaloba seemed to support this, with a third of respondents taking their last sick day off due to cold and flu.

Dr Michael Dixon, GP and Chairman of the NHS Alliance said: 'When it comes to a cold or the flu, we're at our most contagious at the first sneeze.

'However, at this stage the damage to the people around us has often already been done – the incubation period for the virus can be up to two days before symptoms occur.

'Employees and employers should be diligent over the next few weeks, the peak season for cold and flu, in preventing the spread of infection and should employ the NHS ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’ policy.

'If you’re suffering from cold and flu symptoms, you should stay at home, rest, drink plenty of fluids to help increase your recovery time and prevent the spread of infection.'